Global Perspective on Moustaches and More

During the month of November, thousands of men around the world will grow mustaches as part of Movember, a movement to promote and raise funds for men’s health issues, specifically prostate and testicular cancer. We here at Zoosk.com recently conducted surveys among thousands of Zooskers around the globe to gather their thoughts on facial hair and how it plays out in their relationships. Here’s what we found:

Facial hair is gaining in popularity in the U.S.
• Only 50% of American men surveyed report that their father had facial hair.
• Today, 64% of American men say they have facial hair.
• Mustache may be a French word, however, only 40% of French men say they have facial hair.

The #1 reason men grow facial hair? It gives them more confidence.
• 40% of American men (and 44% of men worldwide) say when they have facial hair, they feel more confident.
• Other reasons why men grow facial hair? 36% of American men say they feel more attractive, 15% feel more sophisticated, and 9% feel more intelligent with facial hair.

80% of American women are okay with, and even attracted to, men with facial hair.
• It must be an English-speaking thing — 80% of American women and 69% of women in the UK and Canada say that facial hair on their man is a-ok.
• However, the majority of women in Australia, France, Mexico and Denmark prefer clean-shaven men.

The goatee wins as the preferred form of facial hair among American women.
• 36% of American women say they prefer men sport a goatee (as opposed to a beard or mustache).
• Men take note! Women say the “soul patch” is the least-preferred form of facial hair.

Growing facial hair for a cause can lead to romance!
• 63% of American women say that they would be more open to romance with a man who grew facial hair for a worthy cause.
• French women feel the opposite way, with only 27% saying that they would feel more romantic with a man who grew facial hair for a cause.

Women around the world agree that Johnny Depp sports the best facial hair.
• More than 50% of the women surveyed around the world say Johnny Depp is the celebrity with the best facial hair.

U.S. men think Sean Connery has the best facial hair.
• 45% of American men say Sean Connery as the celeb with the best facial hair. Johnny Depp comes in 2nd place with 26% of the votes among men.

The Zoosk Facial Hair Survey was conducted online by Zoosk in October 2012 in the U.S, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Mexico, Sweden, and the U.K.